A Breath of Fresh Air

The Christ Hospital, Liberty Respite Areas

Liberty Township, Ohio | TBD

Two outdoor retreats at The Christ Hospital let people step away from the clinical environment and into nature

Respite locations within the Medical Office Building

Waiting is a fact of life but creating waiting spaces that are purposeful and relaxing empower people by giving them control over where and how to spend their time.

A communal respite inwardly focused designed for small groups of staff and visitors alike.

The courtyard and terrace at The Christ Hospital Liberty Township Medical Center provide patients, families, visitors, and staff places of retreat where they can step out of the clinical environment and pause for a breath of fresh air.

All the materials are meant to allow the passage of time to put its fingerprints on the space, so the experience is different throughout the day and the seasons.

Project Concepts

We used the concepts of nesting, arraying, and enclosure along with a consistent material palette to create two different experiences: The terrace has a layered feel oriented outward to views. The courtyard’s focus is more inward and embracing; visible from the entry, visitors maintain a connection to the outdoors as soon as they enter the building.

A seating layout that promotes external focus and panoramic views.

In addition to plants, we used natural materials not commonly found in healthcare environments, like wood, rusted Core-ten steel, and pavers with a stone-like finish. All the materials are meant to allow the passage of time to put its fingerprints on the space, so the experience is different throughout the day and the seasons.